Preclinical studies have shown that the anti-EGFR mAb cetuximab markedly increases the cytotoxic effect of chemotherapy or radiation therapy in various EGFR-expressing tumour cell lines (Huang et al, 1999; Milas et al, 2000; Buchsbaum et al, 2002; Prewett et al, 2002; Raben et al, 2005; Ettinger, 2006). The gene discussed is EGFR; the disease is neoplasm.